Hulk (character)

Created by writer Stan Lee (1922–2018) with input from artist Jack Kirby (1917–94), the Hulk is one of the best-known Marvel comic book characters of all time. The Hulk's origin story centers on an accident involving Dr. Bruce Banner, a brilliant scientist who gained superpowers after getting caught in the blast of an exploding gamma bomb while attempting to save a civilian who had inadvertently driven into the testing area. Thereafter, Dr. Banner began to transform into a massive, muscular, and ultra-strong humanoid during periods of emotional stress. The transformations often happened against Dr. Banner's will, leading to devastating fits of rage and rampages that adversely affected his everyday life.

The Hulk is usually portrayed as a hero, though many of the other characters in the Marvel Comics universe regard him as a threat due to his unstable and angry nature. He is widely considered a classic comic book character and has continued to enjoy worldwide popularity across a variety of media.

Background

According to Stan Lee, the Hulk was inspired by two major sources: Frankenstein's Monster, who was created by English author Mary Shelley (1797–1851), and Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing, who is a member of the Fantastic Four group of comic book superheroes. Lee has stated that the idea for the Hulk originated when he was trying to come up with an alternative to the typical costumed superhero that was popular in the comic books of the 1950s and early 1960s. Upon reflection, Lee realized that his readers seemed to enjoy characters that appear monstrous but are actually noble at heart. To give Bruce Banner a secret identity, Lee also took inspiration from the 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94). The novella relates the story of the meek Dr. Jekyll, who transforms into the malicious Mr. Hyde after taking a serum intended to repress his evil urges.

The Hulk made his first appearance in a Marvel comic titled The Incredible Hulk, which debuted in 1962. The series ran for only six issues and was canceled, but the Hulk went on to appear in various other Marvel comics. He was a founding member of the superhero collective known as the Avengers. He appeared in the early issues of The Avengers series, which was launched in 1963.

Though the Hulk went on to gain worldwide fame as a muscular green humanoid, he was initially gray. However, Lee felt that the color gray was too somber and dramatic, which was at odds with the tone he wanted to establish for the series. In 1964, the Hulk began to make regular appearances in a Marvel comic titled Tales to Astonish, eventually building up enough of a fan base to inspire a rebranding of the series, which was renamed The Incredible Hulk, Volume 2 for its 102nd issue.

According to the Hulk's back story, Bruce Banner's father was an atomic physicist and an abusive alcoholic who resented his son. He killed Banner's mother when she attempted to stop the abuse, and threatened Banner to ensure he kept the secret. Banner's repressed pain and anger later manifested when he became the Hulk, forming the basis for a recurring emotional theme that was explored with considerable depth over the course of the character's subsequent development.

Overview

The Hulk is most famous for his immense physical strength, which usually increases in proportion to the intensity of his emotional state. His transformation from Dr. Banner into the Hulk is normally linked to distress and particularly anger—the angrier and more distressed Dr. Banner gets, the stronger the Hulk becomes. The Hulk can also jump great distances, occasionally covering hundreds of miles in a single leap. He can also create a shock wave by slamming his hands together, producing a force comparable to that of a hurricane. Along with his strength comes a high resistance not only to physical injury but also to poison, disease, and extreme temperatures. The Hulk heals very quickly and has extraordinary endurance.

Over the years, the Hulk has appeared in several different versions, usually taking one of three forms: a green "savage" Hulk, a green "smart" Hulk, and a shorter, smaller, gray Hulk. The green "savage" incarnation of the Hulk is the strongest but is childlike in his demeanor and displays the lowest level of intelligence. The gray Hulk is not as strong as the green versions of the character but is far more intelligent; he speaks proper English and often makes sarcastic quips during confrontations with his enemies. The green "smart" version of the Hulk is a combination of the "savage" green Hulk, the smaller gray Hulk, and Bruce Banner himself; he has the "savage" Hulk's size and strength, the gray Hulk's cunning, and the brilliant mind of Bruce Banner. As the "smart" Hulk, Banner's personality is in control, but in other versions of the character, Banner's consciousness is latent and has only a limited influence on the Hulk's activities. In comics published in the early 1990s, it was revealed that each version of the Hulk represents a different part of Banner's personality.

Another key difference between the green Hulks and the gray Hulk relates to when and how Banner transforms. As the green Hulk, Banner is usually transformed by anger, but as the gray Hulk, the transformation occurs at dusk, with Banner returning to his regular human form at dawn.

Other characters in the Marvel universe have become Hulk-like creatures because of exposure to gamma radiation. Among them is Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters, who became She-Hulk after accepting a blood transfusion from Banner. General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, a long-time nemesis of Banner, voluntarily became the Red Hulk to fight Banner's Hulk more effectively. In another plot line, teenage genius Amadeus Cho extracted the Hulk from Banner and implanted the transformative power in himself, becoming the Totally Awesome Hulk, a version similar to the "smart" green Hulk.

In addition to Marvel comic books, the Hulk has a long history of appearances in other media. He has been featured in several video games, including The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Marvel Super Heroes, and Marvel vs. Capcom. A popular television program titled The Incredible Hulk, which ran from 1978 until 1982, featured actors Bill Bixby (1934–93) as Bruce Banner and Lou Ferrigno (1951– ) as the Hulk. The character has also appeared in numerous motion pictures, including 2003's Hulk, where he was portrayed by Eric Bana (1968– ), and 2008's The Incredible Hulk, where he was portrayed by Edward Norton (1969– ). Actor Mark Ruffalo (1967– ) also played the role of the Hulk in 2012's The Avengers, 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). As representations of the Hulk character on screen remained popular, 2022 saw the premiere of a new television series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, on the streaming service Disney+ focused on Walters's She-Hulk. In addition to Tatiana Maslany (1985– ) taking on the role of Walters/She-Hulk, Ruffalo appeared as the Hulk in episodes chronicling Walters's accidental acquisition of Hulk powers and her journey to continue her career as a lawyer.

Bibliography

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Jones, William. "How She-Hulk Finally Explores Hulk's Character in a Meaningful Way." CBR.com, 24 Aug. 2022, www.cbr.com/she-hulk-explore-hulk-character-meaningfully-disney-plus-mcu/. Accessed 9 Sept. 2022.

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